Improvement in stamps for cutting out figures



I E. 1. FISCHER.

Stamps for Cutting out Figures.

No. 138,559. Paten ted May 6,1873.

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PATENT Grrron.

ERNEST JULIUS FISCHER, ()F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STA MPS FOR CUTTING OUT FIGURES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,559, dated May 6, 1873; application filed November 23, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit knownthat I, ERNEST JULIUs FIsoHER, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Stamps for Cutting out Figures; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specifiction, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figurel of the drawing is a vertical section of my hand-stamp, constructed with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a representation of the figures.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device for cutting out figures in checks, drafts, notes, due-bills, receipts, contracts, agreements, bonds, warrants, and all monetary paper or documents which are liable to alteration, the figures cut indicating the value, amount, date, or number, in such a manner that the same cannot be altered without detection. To effect this I have provided means for cutting the said figures or characters through the paper or document, whereby any trifling therewith can be instant- 1y detected. The figures and characters are made in such style or shape that the paper at the place where they are cut out shall retain sufficient hold, so as it will not be likely to fall out or come off by mere handling of the document, thereby rendering the amount indicated illegible; also, that none of the figures or characters can be changed or altered to indicate a different denomination by cutting more out of the paper at the point where such figure or character is located.

In the drawing hereto annexedI have illustrated a series of figures of the kind described, with a terminal character. An inspection of this series will show that each of these figures may be cut out of the paper and yet leave a good body in the same, and that no one figure can be changed by cutting the paper where it is made to a different denomination of the se ries illustrated. My improved hand-stamp consists of a platform bearing a series of arms or levers provided with punches a die having figures or characters to correspond to the punches; a sliding rest for the paper, which serves as a gage and a holder; and a fixed holder, all as hereinafter fully described.

In the drawing, A represents the platform or base-board, which has a ridge or raised portion, a, at its rear side. This ridge is recessed to receive the ends of the levers B, which are swiveled on a rod, 11, passing lengthwise through the ridge. The levers are also connected to and rest upon coiled springs a, secured to the platform; the object of said springs being to raise the levers automatically after they'have been depressed in cutting. The front ends of the levers are curved, as shown, and are provided with fin ger-pieces 1), arranged alternately up and down. The levers may consist of steel or other material; but if not made of steel, the bends must consist of that metal, upon the facesfof which the figures or characters are out. In the platform, directly beneath the faces of the punches, I 10- cate a steel plate or die, 0, in which are cut female counterparts of the figures in the punches. On pressing down the levers the punches enter the female counterparts, cutting out from the interposed paper the required figure or character, that portion of thepaper which is cut wholly out being carried through the femalecounterparts into an open space below the die designed for the reception of such waste. In front of the die is the holder D, which moves in suitable ways in the platform. This holder consists of a base-piece, d, to which is attached a springplate, d secured at one end, so that it can be raised at the other when the check or other paper is inserted, the spring-plate serving to bind or hold the document in place upon the base-piece. The holder is also provided with a handle, (1 as plainly shown in the drawing.

To use the holder, it is slided partly outon one side and the spring-blade raised; the check or other paper is then placed on the base-piece beneath the blade, the inner edge of the blade being even with the line above which it is desired to place the figures. The holder is then slided in, carrying with it the paper from which the figures are to becut. The terminal character is first made, and then the other figures, finishing with the terminal character, the holder being moved back and forth to bring the paper under the characters and figures in succession. An additional holder is shown at E, consisting of a piece of wire, the ends of which are inserted in the platform A, While the front portion is just behind the edge of the die. This holder permits the check or other paper to be moved along under it, but at the same time helps to retain the document in place while the cutting operation is being performed.

The advantage of cutting out the letters from the faces of the arms is, that the device is thereby rendered less liable to get out of order, than if the letters were cut from steel, and attached to the arms by soldering, or other means, in which case they would be likely to drop off or become detached after being in use a short time. So, too, by forming the letters in the die from a single piece, greater rigidity and certainty is secured than if the letters were formed on separate blocks and placed side by side in a bed or groove.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The improved hand-stamp comprising the platform A, pivoted arms B, having cuttingpunches at the ends thereof, springs or, solid Witnesses:

M. DANL. OoNNoLLY, JEROME MCTIGHE. 

